Minister of Foreign Affairs Jan Lipavsky participated in a ministerial conference on EU enlargement in Berlin on November 2, 2023, organized by the German Foreign Ministry in cooperation with the Spanish EU Presidency. Ministers and experts exchanged views on the challenges posed by EU enlargement, both for candidate countries and for the EU itself.
“The enlargement of the European Union represents both an opportunity and a challenge, not only for the various candidate countries but also for the EU itself. Two important moments await us: in a week, the European Commission will assess the progress of countries with accession prospects and, in less than two months, the European Council will also discuss enlargement,“ said Lipavský at the end of the conference “Making the EU ready for enlargement and the candidate countries ready for membership”. Minister Lipavský also met with the German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock.
Ministers discussed EU enlargement, reform and the future of the wider EU as a global actor. “The Czech Republic strongly supports enlargement to Ukraine, Moldova, Georgia and the Western Balkan countries. But everyone must be ready to enter, not only the candidate countries but also the European Union itself,” Lipavský added.
The conference also included a round table with experts chaired by the German Minister for Europe and Climate, Anna Luhrmann. After the conference, Minister Lipavský had a meeting with his German counterpart Annalena Baerbock.
